Poet Laureate of Minnesota

The Poet Laureate attends public events and is expected to celebrate Minnesota's cultural history, engaging the youth and marginalized voices in poetry.

[5] Legislation to make the poet laureate position official was introduced on February 19, 1974, but did not pass.

Further bills to create an official poet laureate were introduced on April 1, 2004, and February 4, 2005, but were also unsuccessful.

In his veto of the latter bill, Governor Tim Pawlenty, noted that "Even though we have a state 'folklorist,' I also have concern this will lead to calls for other similar positions.

[5] Robert Bly was appointed Minnesota poet laureate on February 27, 2008.